The present invention relates to a pushrod switch, especially a brake light switch, with a sliding member and switch resetting means. It also relates to a method of making the sliding member in one piece from a plastic material by injection molding.
A pushrod switch, particularly useful as a brake light switch, is known comprising a plastic switch housing, a pushrod arranged in the switch housing, a movable element comprising a sliding member engagable and movable with the pushrod, an electrical terminal element, contacting elements for making contact between the sliding member and the terminal element and means for switch resetting comprising a locking catch device for releasably fixing the pushrod relative to the sliding member.
In a known pushrod switch described in German Published Patent Application 2,848,875 C2 the pushrod is formed with an oval cross-section and has a plurality of catch teeth on each of the smaller sides of the substantially oval cross-sectioned pushrod. These catch teeth cooperate with an opposing catch tooth on each of two opposing sides of the sliding member and form together with the opposing teeth the locking catch device. In this type of structure there is a danger that both opposing teeth opposite each other in the sliding member experience premature wear after many manipulations of the pushrod and that the locking catch device thus no longer operates sufficiently reliably.